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Two initiative situations:

1.- I'm a carnifex (I=1), I'm a living ram (I=+2 on charge), I have crushing claws (I=1) and adrenal glands (I=+1 on charge), now I'm charging:
What's my initiative total?

2.- I'm a howling banshee (I=5), I wear the mask (I=10, first round), I charge a hive tyrant with lash whip (I down to 1):
What's my initiative total?

3.- I'm an hormagaunt behind a unit of termagants deployed in ranks, there's enough gap between their bases to fit my base:
can I move/run/charge THROUGH the unit, since there's room enough for me to cross?

I know the last one is tricky, but it would mean a nice asset for my strategy so far.

1) You strike at I1, because the rules for Crushing Claws state that you strike at I1 regardless of other modifiers.

2) As clarified by the Tyranid FAQ, you strike at I10.

3) Yes, the rules specify that you can move through the gaps between friendly models as long as there is space for your base to fit through.

Can I choose not to "use" the claws, denying 1D3 attack bonus but then attacking at I=4?

What good is for the whip if it doesn't work in these situations? I mean, tyrant's initiative is high and this biomorph I think is intended to help against greater initiative units so...
I don't have an eldar codex to check and tyranid codex states foe initiative counts as 1, regardless actual initiative value, isn't it the same as crushing claws effect (apply after modifiers)?

No, as nothing the Nids have are close combat weapons there is no capabiulity for you to choose. If you look at the special rules page it states that 'Nids dont use CCW.

The FAQ states otherwise. If you have a problem with it, email GW, however pretty much every FAQ ruling in the nid FAQ went against the Nids....

yakface wrote:

1) You strike at I1, because the rules for Crushing Claws state that you strike at I1 regardless of other modifiers.

2) As clarified by the Tyranid FAQ, you strike at I10.

3) Yes, the rules specify that you can move through the gaps between friendly models as long as there is space for your base to fit through.

IIRC this is wrong, dont you have to stay 1" away from ALL units? except independent characters.

No, you are perfectly entitled to move within 1" of friendly models and even be in b2b if you wish.

Tekeino - you're thinking of fantasy. In 40k the only prohibition is on enemy models.

ENKHANNA wrote:Can I choose not to "use" the claws, denying 1D3 attack bonus but then attacking at I=4?

What good is for the whip if it doesn't work in these situations? I mean, tyrant's initiative is high and this biomorph I think is intended to help against greater initiative units so...
I don't have an eldar codex to check and tyranid codex states foe initiative counts as 1, regardless actual initiative value, isn't it the same as crushing claws effect (apply after modifiers)?

It sucks as a Nid player, but it's a difference in wording. Crushing Claws state the model strikes at initiative 1. Pretty cut and dry, and no way around it. It doesn't matter what their actual initiative is. Lash Whips are more complicated though as they say the model's initiative counts as 1. Subtle difference, but important as you also have other modifiers that could come into play such as banshee masks or furious charge. It basicly came down to which takes precedence, which gets applied first? GW made the ruling that Lash Whips take the nerf and that's that.

Personally I think that that a better soulution would have been to address the overall problem, rather than add a band-aid solution. Make an addition to the main FAQ something along the lines of "when two opposing rules both change a stat to a flat value (as opposed to simply adding a +value or -value), they cancel each other out. Any +values or -values are then totaled and added (or subtracted). It's a more fair ruling, although it may have greater complications for other situations, but I can't think of any off the top of my head.

ENKHANNA wrote:Can I choose not to "use" the claws, denying 1D3 attack bonus but then attacking at I=4?

What good is for the whip if it doesn't work in these situations? I mean, tyrant's initiative is high and this biomorph I think is intended to help against greater initiative units so...
I don't have an eldar codex to check and tyranid codex states foe initiative counts as 1, regardless actual initiative value, isn't it the same as crushing claws effect (apply after modifiers)?

So...lash whip works against 99% of the units that would match or exceed the Tyrant's Initiative. It's a great biomorph.


And to more specifically answer your question, Crushing Claws specifically mentions that it works regardless of modifiers and the Lash Whip does not (it only works regardless of the actual Initiative value of the striking model)...so things that modify Initiative still apply after the Lash Whip's effect is applied.

nosferatu1001 wrote:Tekeino - you're thinking of fantasy. In 40k the only prohibition is on enemy models.

...and non-joinable units in the case of ICs.

Except it then isnt 1", but 2"